The singular aspect of this story is not the acting, although that's superbly professional, especially from Nicole Kidman as Erin Bell, undercover FBI agent. It's not the actual story, being a standard crime drama about a gang of bank robbers with Bell and her partner, Chris (Sebastian Stan), as infiltrators to bring the gang to justice. It's not any part of the cinematography, editing, special effects etc. And while it's more than ably directed by Karyn Kusama, it's not even that....
It's the structure that's the standout for this effort, with its interleaved ellipses of different times in her past, which focuses upon Erin mostly, Chris - also her lover, and Erin's daughter, Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn).
The opening scene has Erin sitting in her car, waiting. We don't know why. Maybe it's morning, maybe not. She's watching, in her rear vision, skate boarders fooling around behind her. Erin looks like death warmed over. A 211 call comes over her radio. She acknowledges, gets out. We see her approaching one of the city's canals where a body lies; two cops, yellow tape, already there. There is a short exchange of words we hear, but cannot comprehend, fully. We next see Erin in her auto, skate boarders still active, Erin still waiting....
And from there onwards ... we're inside Erin's head while she sits, grimacing, recalling the details of how and why she's waiting, delving into her 17 year past, to pull all the pieces together of how she and Chris got into the murderous gang of bank robbers; the dangers they faced; the love that developed between them; the shock and sadness for Erin when Shelby became involved with shady characters; the mistakes Erin and Chris made while undercover; the disappearance of Silas (Toby Kebbell), the sadistic gang leader, and his recent re-emergence; and finally the last, brutal bank robbery which brings Erin full circle to finish the job she and Chris began all those years ago.
Destroyer is downbeat almost to the last frame: there's not a shred of light relief in the entire two hours. And, while there are those who find the structure problematic, it's nowhere near as confusing as other movies with similar structures. For example, it doesn't have the bizarre nature and artistic flare of Mulholland Drive (2001); likewise, Jacob's Ladder (1990), where we 'see' inside a dying soldier's last thoughts; and Destroyer lacks the visceral, bloody horror of You Were Never Really Here (2017). Obviously, though, the movie demands your attention to sort out Erin's disjointed thoughts as she tries to make amends for all her faults and transgressions. In doing so, she brings the narrative - her story - to a fitting end; and to a delicious, unexpected revelation.
Hence, it's an engrossing story, with Kidman in every scene and almost every frame. Throughout, a suitable soundtrack adds the desired dramatic and emotional affects and effects. And Nicole Kidman is utterly terrific, categorically.
Recommended for adults only. Give this one eight out of ten.
October 2nd, 2019.
It's the structure that's the standout for this effort, with its interleaved ellipses of different times in her past, which focuses upon Erin mostly, Chris - also her lover, and Erin's daughter, Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn).
The opening scene has Erin sitting in her car, waiting. We don't know why. Maybe it's morning, maybe not. She's watching, in her rear vision, skate boarders fooling around behind her. Erin looks like death warmed over. A 211 call comes over her radio. She acknowledges, gets out. We see her approaching one of the city's canals where a body lies; two cops, yellow tape, already there. There is a short exchange of words we hear, but cannot comprehend, fully. We next see Erin in her auto, skate boarders still active, Erin still waiting....
And from there onwards ... we're inside Erin's head while she sits, grimacing, recalling the details of how and why she's waiting, delving into her 17 year past, to pull all the pieces together of how she and Chris got into the murderous gang of bank robbers; the dangers they faced; the love that developed between them; the shock and sadness for Erin when Shelby became involved with shady characters; the mistakes Erin and Chris made while undercover; the disappearance of Silas (Toby Kebbell), the sadistic gang leader, and his recent re-emergence; and finally the last, brutal bank robbery which brings Erin full circle to finish the job she and Chris began all those years ago.
Destroyer is downbeat almost to the last frame: there's not a shred of light relief in the entire two hours. And, while there are those who find the structure problematic, it's nowhere near as confusing as other movies with similar structures. For example, it doesn't have the bizarre nature and artistic flare of Mulholland Drive (2001); likewise, Jacob's Ladder (1990), where we 'see' inside a dying soldier's last thoughts; and Destroyer lacks the visceral, bloody horror of You Were Never Really Here (2017). Obviously, though, the movie demands your attention to sort out Erin's disjointed thoughts as she tries to make amends for all her faults and transgressions. In doing so, she brings the narrative - her story - to a fitting end; and to a delicious, unexpected revelation.
Hence, it's an engrossing story, with Kidman in every scene and almost every frame. Throughout, a suitable soundtrack adds the desired dramatic and emotional affects and effects. And Nicole Kidman is utterly terrific, categorically.
Recommended for adults only. Give this one eight out of ten.
October 2nd, 2019.